Jack The Lad Strikes To Keep Title Tilt On Track

MEATH… 1-22

CORK… 2-17

Simplistic headline, yes. But doesn’t it say it all? Well no, it doesn’t. It doesn’t tell half the story, of the day, never mind the campaign. To date.

A five star display from Ruairi Kinsella, whom it was feared at one stage would miss the entire league. Jack O’Connor cementing his role as the best strike runner in the game. James Conlon redefining the term “Impact finisher”. But more than that, this classy, developing Meath team displayed all the quality, nous and indominable spirit which have eternally been central tenets of Meath teams and which these lads have in abundance.

As was often the case with their forerunners, Robbie Brennan’s side were slowly aware from the tape until, to borrow a bit of darting vernacular, custodian Sean Brennan and fleet footed forty yards man Ruairi Kinsella got their eye in on the doubles. Thus enabling the pre match favourites stay point for point with the rejuvenated Rebels. For whom Stephen Sherlock and Chris Og Jones seemed equally capable of shooting the daylight out.

Which they did to such an extent that the very affable John Cleary’s charges had chissled out a 0-12 to 0-09 lead for themselves approaching the first hooter.

Until an absolute worldy of a point from Jordan Morris meant the chasm was down to two before the Royals turned to shoot into the empty Hill.

Mind you, the minute they did, it was evaporated altogether as – from almost the identical spot from whence he wreaked havoc against Tyrone just a few short weeks ago, Jack O’Connor split the posts with a perfect pair to take the Royals back to parity.

Seconds later, the swings and roundabouts of a brilliant topsy turvy ultimately swung back Meath’s way when, within seconds of Og Jones sneaking in along their end line before drilling low to Sean Brennan’s net, Jack Flynn pulled off a monstrous fetch in midfield and set his namesake O’Connor, who proceeded to do what he does best.

That is to say, ran and ran and ran, before eventually dispatching a rocket beyond the reach of Cork stopper Patrick Doyle.

The Curraha clubman’s clutch moment inspiring an astomishing spell of dominance for the eventual victors which yielded eight points on the spin without riposte.

Brennan, Ciaran Caulfield, Kinsella, skipper Eoghan Frayne and the introduced, imperious James Conlon (four) took Meath from two points down and into a lead of five.

Job done? Not quite. Again the pendulum swung back towards the men from ‘The Banks’ as the introduced, talented but tempestuous Brian Hurley managed to find a corner of the Meath net leaving just two between the sides.

When does good defending become outright cynicism? Not a query which can be answered objectively, but, whereas Ronan Ryan, Ciaran Caulfield and substitute Killian Smyth of Castletown used the high press, swarm tackling and sheer body weight to halt any potential rescue attempts by Cleary’s  crew, in the very last play of the game, yes, Conlon executed the kind of tackle which Garry Ringrose or Bundee Aki would have been proud of.

Not his fault. A mess entirely of the GAA’s own making. You can’t create a monster and then whine when it stomps on a few buildings. I am of course referring to the absolute bullshit – as Ciaran Whelan rightly dubbed it on the Sunday night highlights programme – whereby games end the minute rhe hooter goes.

Which is exactly why ‘Banty’ did what he did. And why anybody in the same position would do the same thing.  Anyone who says the wouldn’t is as big a rogue and spoofer as the gouger in disguise Mr Murphy.

So, promotion achieved, and, in one way more importantly, another big game won in Croker. This time with a trophy in tow.

The first of the Brennan era banked. The ghost of last season’s Leinster Final finally buried. A third trophy for Meath football in the big field in five years.

Two well identified targets set and met, new horizons to explore. Long may it continue.

SCORERS – R. Kinsella (0-5, 2x2PT), J. O’Connor (1-2, 2PT), J. Conlon (0-4), S. Brennan (2PT), E. Frayne and J. Morris (0-3 each), C. Caulfield and A. Lynch (0-1 each)

MEATH – S. Brennan; S. Lavin, S. Rafferty, B. O’Halloran; D. Keogan, S. Coffey, C. Caulfield; B. Menton, J. Flynn; J. O’Connor, R. Kinsella, C. McBride; J. Morris, E. Frayne, A. Lynch.

SUBS – J. Conlon for Lynch, R. Ryan for Lavin, C. Hickey for McBride, K. Smyth for O’Halloran, O. Martin for O’Connor.

Referee – Brendan Griffin (Kerry).